


I like you, I like you, I like you (Sorry, I never meant to)

by pengdabi



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 2jin - Freeform, F/F, Fluff, hyewon is a side ship, hyunjin curses a lot, i like u by niki, lots(?) of kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pengdabi/pseuds/pengdabi
Summary: In which Hyunjin faces an unexpected twist and turn from her "arrangement" with her best friend, Heejin.
Relationships: Jeon Heejin/Kim Hyunjin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 178





	I like you, I like you, I like you (Sorry, I never meant to)

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is based on the song I Like U by Niki. this is my first 2jin fic so bear with me :D

**heekkie** : you home? 

**aeongie** : eh? why? does lady absentee need anything

**heekkie** : my fuel's running low D: im wearing vanilla chapstick today btw ;)

**aeongie** : be there at ur place after class xx

**heekkie** : yay see u

Hyunjin shuts her phone off with a wide smile plastered on her face as she tries to focus on her professor blabbering about limits, calculus. Now that she knows she has an important business to take care after school, she can't really remove the thought of having to kiss Heejin again albeit her lips still swollen after kissing her all day yesterday.

Kissing each other became their agreed arrangement. Just one day, the two best friends were too bored of their own lives to the point that Hyunjin felt like kissing Heejin that one summer. 

Wearing a watermelon chapstick during that day, she dives into the inevitable abyss of the addicting kisses from Heejin and since then, Heejin and her came to agreement which Hyunjin didn't think of even disagreeing because of the trance she was currently having because of Heejin's kisses. All she did was agree, not knowing the possible gravity that may occur on their current status, which is falling in love unknowingly.

Eager to get the taste of Heejin's lips on hers, she still goes for it anyways. Heejin seemed unbothered by what they were doing so who was Hyunjin to get bothered? Besides, they never went beyond the line of 'just kissing' anyways. That would be absurd(ly petrifying considering Hyunjin's feelings).

Finally getting dismissed after the long, dull Calculus class, she fixes her things, but she was suddenly invited by Hyejoo to go in this bread shop near their school which she reluctantly agreed on, saying sorry to Heejin at the back of her mind already for being tardy.

So she pedalled with Hyejoo and she bought her true love, (Next to Heejin, of course) the cream bread and she never forgets to buy one for Heejin. Maybe it will be something that might come in handy later as an 'Sorry for being late for our kissing session' apology gift.

As soon as they both finished purchasing their desired bread, (Turns out Hyejoo was just going to ask Hyunjin about courting a girl, which of course, Hyunjin is no expert on) Hyunjin bid her goodbye and pedalled as quickly as never before.

Finally arriving Heejin's humble abode while panting for air, she was greeted by none other than Mrs. Jeon herself. So, she asks for Heejin, then eventually get invited in by Mrs. Jeon and walking her to Heejin's all too familiar room with her cute pink door that she had painted when they were twelve (Hyunjin helped Heejin do so). 

"Heejin didn't feel like going to school today. I'm sorry, Hyunjin. She's caused quite a nuisance asking you to come over."

"It's no problem, Mrs. Jeon." Hyunjin chickles breathily as she looks around the corridor, family pictures and even pictures of Heejin through the years framed and put up on the walls. 

"Seriously, you should start calling me Mom too! I watched you grow with my daughter."

Hyunjin chuckles at the sudden passing memory of Mrs. Jeon first offering her to eat dinner, then Heejin. (Which Heejin sulked at for a whole week, shouting at her everyday that Hyunjin was now the favorite daughter.)

"It's okay. I got used to calling you Mrs. Jeon already." Hyunjin scratches the back of her head and they finally made it in front of Heejin's room.

Hyunjin takes a deep breath and knocks at Heejin's door before opening it, but much to Mrs. Jeon's surprise, Hyunjin gets pulled by her school jacket into her room then Heejin shuts the door quickly and thanks her mom through her pink door before she could even speak.

Hyunjin sees Heejin's eyes grow fierce and bore holes through her very soul before pushing Hyunjin down her bed then roughly kissing her, not even letting Hyunjin say hi.

Hyunjin feels the frustration on Heejin's kiss as she still helplessly gets pinned down the bed while she got a bread she bought for Heejin just on her hand, trying hard not to clench it and ruin it with her own fists. Hyunjin smiles at their kiss when she tastes the vanilla chapstick Heejin was indeed wearing, a taste she knows because it tastes like her favorite cream bread.

Hyunjin breaks away for air and places the bread on top of her now-swollen lips to block Heejin's advances.

"I bought bread. Sorry, I'm late." Hyunjin's voice muffled through the bread's wrapper, and the once fierce Heejin was now replaced by a pouting one, who now just straddles and sits on top of Hyunjin's legs.

"You're late because of that?" Heejin crosses her arms.

"Hyejoo asked me to go with her." Hyunjin purposely left the explanation hanging to see Heejin's reaction, which she regrets as she sees Heejin remove herself from their position, and lay down beside Hyunjin.

"You've been spending time with Hyejoo too often at school these days. What's up?" Hyunjin can't help but notice a tiny tinge of jealousy in Heejin's tone but she doesn't really hope. She knows it's just Heejin being a concerned best friend.

"She's just asking me about courting a girl." Hyunjin shrugs as she rolls over, now facing Heejin while lying on her stomach.

"You? Know how to court a girl?" Heejin's pout was suddenly nowhere to be found as she was now laughing jokingly at Hyunjin, which sent her heart skipping a beat. To be able to see Heejin's beauty this close is a great honor already. Hyunjin knows Heejin has too many suitors at school but she never saw her date one which was a bit peculiar. She pays no mind to it though, because her lips weren't all hers with Heejin dating.

When Heejin finished laughing, Hyunjin just rolls her eyes then lunges forward to get another kiss from Heejin's addicting vanilla lips, Hyunjin trying to savor it before it runs out but then she breaks away again, throwing the bread she bought on Heejin's stomach which earned a pained grunt from her.

"I bought it for you. You should eat."

"But what about kisses?" Heejin asks, with a teasing pleading look which was just shaken off by Hyunjin.

"Laters, baby." Hyunjin whispers but Heejin just slams a pillow on her face while laughing loudly.

"You did not just slip that Fifty Shades reference." Heejin just chuckles then takes a bite on the bread, testing it first before she dives it for another bite.

"I just did." 

While she waited for Heejin to finish the bread, she kept on licking her lip in an attempt to taste the vanilla left on her lips which was already running out and Hyunjin felt like a girl wanting candy. She was already itching to kiss Heejin again and it was killing her inside, her conscience now chagrined for doing so.

"Seriously though. I haven't really seen you court anyone. Why is that?" Heejin asks, her mouth still full of the bread she's currently munching on. Hyunjin just smiles, realizing her two favorite things in the world now in front of her and it just made her want to stop this moment. So not minding the question, Hyunjin just stares at her best friend, whose cheeks got all suddenly warm and red (Heejin did remind her that she doesn't like anyone staring at her, it makes her so shy)

"Deadass. Stop staring at me." Heejin slaps Hyunjin's face jokingly, before stuffing the rest of the bread to her cheeks.

"I won't, if it weren't for the bread you just devoured in whole." 

"Well then, come and get it from me." Heejin smirks and the next thing Hyunjin knew was she was now inching closer again to the beauty of Heejin's mischievous facade then she claims her lips again but this time, it was a lot slower and weirdly, with a bit more passion.

The reason why Hyunjin didn't really even bother answering is she really didn't know what to say. All she knows is one wrong answer may lead her to a thousand possibilities and she doesn't want to ruin what's in front of her right now.

"Enough kissing, I want cuddles." Heejin says just as she pulls away from Hyunjin and now she lays her head against Hyunjin's chest. Hyunjin on the other hand, hopes Heejin doesn't hear her heart beating fast.

Hyunjin wonders what could've happened if she didn't kiss Heejin in the first place. Would she still find herself here with Heejin just cuddling? Would she still be just as smitten as she is with her? Would she still end up kissing Heejin?

Hyunjin's reverie was interrupted when Heejin suddenly grabbed her arm to wrap around her waist.

"I can't believe I got a dumb one for a bestfriend." Heejin chuckles as she closes her eyes while she savors Hyunjin's arms around her. 

Hyunjin wasn't speaking simply because Heejin said it herself, she is dumb and she is her bestfriend. This is wrong, she thinks. What they're doing is wrong. Best friends don't do that.

However, Hyunjin likes— _loves_ the feeling so much, she can't even let go of Heejin who's currently nuzzled on her neck, her lips grazing against her school uniform, even though she knows it is wrong.

Hyunjin knows this will all change once she cracks and tells Heejin what she really feels, so she keeps mum. After all, this was all just physical.

Hyunjin's now locking these unsaid feelings in a safe, far from Heejin's reach. This was to save both of them from the misery of having to separate.

So Hyunjin just tightened her arms around Heejin, then she hears the latter hum in a bright tone. 

They finally cuddle in silence, only the soft noises of their steady breaths fill the room.

Hyunjin was never a fan of silence but this silence with Heejin was new to her, and it makes her feel safe with the cream white colored walls, and Heejin's limited posters of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Mayday Parade's self-titled album adjacent to it, sticking out the clean paint. (Heejin was a big fan of rock music, after all, so she got her those posters for Christmas and she even had to punch someone for stealing the last ones of the posters.)

Hyunjin suddenly thinks twice on their agreement.

\------------------------------------------

Heejin suddenly has Hyunjin pushed against the 'safely' locked cubicle, as Heejin would put it, as they make out intensely, their free period almost fifteen minutes near to end but Hyunjin takes her time as she relearns Heejin's mouth against hers albeit she was the one protesting a while ago. (Hyunjin said she wanted to be the 'role model' bestfriend, until Heejin said _fuck_ that.)

Hyunjin groans silently against Heejin's mouth then pushes her away from her, making her hit her back against the other side of the cubicle.

"We're gonna be late for the last period, you _fucker_." Hyunjin pats her swollen lips with the sleeve of her blazer, not even daring to wipe off the strawberry chapstick laid upon it.

Heejin didn't mind, she instead leaned in and decreased their proximity, just to plant a long kiss on Hyunjin's lips, which she has never experienced with her before. To think of it, all that they ever did was kiss roughly. She never even thought that a gentle kiss was allowed and possible.

"Kiss you later." Heejin giggles and winks as she unlatched the lock of the cubicle and luckily, the restroom was empty. Heejin didn't pick the farthest restroom from the corridors for nothing.

After retouching their lip tints and smoothing out their once disheveled clothes, (Even arguing which shade of tint fit the both of them) they finally walk to class like nothing happened, but the only difference was Hyunjin looked flushed, probably because of the feelings pooling at the pit of her stomach.

So her good friend Hyejoo shoots her a 'what-the- _fuck_ -did-you-two-do' look at her, her arm draped over Hyunjin's chair, apparently asserting dominance against her older friend but Hyunjin just pushes her arm away from her chair, and sat doen just in front of Heejin who was now laughing along Chaewon, like nothing ever happened.

Feeling like she was about to explode any minute within a close distance from Heejin, Hyunjin pushes herself and chair as much as possible to her desk, avoiding the strong aura Heejin was exuding at the back of her head and she feels it. She does feel her cheeks burn again at the thought of having to kiss Heejin again.

"Hyunnie." She suddenly heard Heejin whisper from behind, which she suddenly jumped on, her knees hitting her desk making it almost fall down hard on the floor, a way to embarrass herself.

"Jeez. Why so jumpy?" Heejin slaps Hyunjin's trembling arm gently. "Anyways, I'm gonna pass later, by the way. Jiwoo invited me over with Chaewon, she said something about helping her with something. Is it okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Hyujin put out a thumbs up, faking her attention on an empty page of her notebook.

"Awesomesauce. Kiss you later." 

Hyunjin then asks Hyejoo if they could hang out later.

\------------------------------------------

In the absence of Heejin's pair of lips on her own, Hyunjin takes this opportunity to breathe from the suffocating air of the arrangement that currently clouds her mind. 

So she hangs out with Hyejoo in the comfort of her own room, the dim one that only has one window because she really dislikes light, (She often just tucks herself and rolls herself into a burrito in the dark, until Heejin) while they both lie carelessly on the floor, playing Scrabble with Hyejoo surprisingly leading.

Hyunjin picked another letter from the bag, getting a V from it and she groans in frustration because she literally just picked one of the hardest letters.

" _Fuck_! Why are you good at Scrabble and I'm not?" Hyunjin places the letter on the letter stand as Hyejoo forms a word on the board yet again, the word 'Hygge' that is.

"That's not even in the dictionary yet!"

"Just admit it. I'm better than you in all aspects." Hyejoo clicks her tongue in a teasing manner but instead of interjecting, Hyunjin just rolls her eyes and pays no mind to it.

Trying to focus her mind on the game, she furrowed her eyebrows while she focused hard on the letters before her.

**A G E U H I V**

_'Age'? Nah, that would be too short of points. Why must the word be with the letter G?_

"So, how are you doing these days?" Hyejoo asks, while Hyunjin's attention is still fixated on her set of letters.

_'Hug'? Again, too short._ "I'm good." Hyunjin answers half-heartedly, her focus still on forming a word.

"How are you doing with Heejin?"

_'Huge'? 'Give'? God, why am I so bad at this?_ "Good." Hyunjin replies absentmindedly.

"And the bread you bought for her yesterday? Did you give it?"

_'Gae'? Damn it, is that even a word?_ "Sure." She answers distractedly.

"And how's Heejin as a kisser?"

_'Geu' What even..._ "Really great." Hyunjin answers absentmindedly again. _Aha! 'Vague' should do the tri—_

The look of horror washes over her face as Hyejoo smiles at her with a teasing one again, as she just dropped a huge secret accidentally while she was too focused on winning, her soul leaving her body as she looks at Hyejoo's victory shit-eating grin.

" _Oh my god_. It's not what you think." Hyunjin tried to defend herself but was too late since Hyejoo was already laughing her heart out on Hyunjin's clumsy confession.

"I knew something was up when you two walked in after free period! Damn, you're easy to read as _fuck_!" Hyejoo lets out breathily as she struggles to breathe for air while Hyunjin's face becomes pale.

"Language! And for the record, _nothing_ is up, I swear." Hyunjin finally gives up and returns the letters in the bag pile before she lays her head down the floor.

"What do you mean 'nothing's up'? Christ, your face was so red when you entered the room." 

"It's just," Hyunjin sighs before continuing. "It's my fault. This whole thing."

"Enlighten me." It was Hyejoo's turn now to lay on the floor just beside her, their game of Scrabble now discontinued as the letters on the board shuffled in a disorganized way.

So Hyunjin does tell Hyejoo what was really happening. She knows there's no harm in telling her so why not? Hyunjin did earn a bunch of _oohs_ and _ahhs_ from the younger one but nevertheless listened intently. (Of course, Hyunjin had to resist the pain of Hyejoo's deadly jabs and pinches on her side for being too stupid.)

"So, adding it all up. You made the first move then agreed to this stupid deal and now you're suffering the consequences... which is the L-word?" 

"You don't have to shove it on my face. Plus, I wouldn't call it the L-word yet." Hyunjin sighs before lurching up and looking over where a photo of Heejin stands on her bedstand, which Heejin of course placed over there because she 'did the same thing' to Hyunjin's photo which she first thought of it as platonically sweet but now, she's suddenly thinking twice about the truth.

"You're bad at lying to yourself, Hyunjin. You know well you lo—" Hyunjin shoots up a dagger stare on the supine Hyejoo, deadpanning her before she continues the L-word, _love_ , come out from her mouth because it was still too early for _that_ . "—st a flipflop. _Lost a flipflop_ for Heejin." 

"I don't know." Hyunjin now turns her attention to Heejin's framed photo again, feeling her stomach knot in ways unknown and she was now indeed more confused than ever. 

She shouldn't feel this way because she knows damn well nothing was really up between the both of them. Nothing special, just a no-strings attached agreement (Which she never believed in, at first) that Hyunjin now disagrees with.

Hyunjin now really does have to admit, 

between Heejin and her, she's the one who already lost long before the agreement even started.

"Okay enough of this sappy love story. Wanna get slushies while the sun's still up?" Hyejoo finally gets up and smoothens her skirt up, then offers a hand for the distressed Hyunjin to hold.

" _Lost a flipflo_ — love to. I'd love to." Hyejoo rolls her eyes at Hyunjin's little tease before pulling her up.

Hyunjin is now stripped of her problems once she gets the taste of the cherry slushy, getting a brain freezed while she sips on it.

It just made the pain on her head even worse though.

\------------------------------------------

These days, school has been hectic for all of them. Hyunjin needed her best friend to just hang around and take a break, not just to make out with (Maybe.) but time wasn't really on their side. Heejin is still her best friend after all, and she does miss those days when Heejin wasn't still part of the student council rejects club where students organize events with the student council themselves.

The school was to hold their annual field day and Heejin was called to arms, making her time in class and time for Hyunjin lesser than usual. Nowadays, Hyunjin just helplessly watches Heejin just walk around the hallways, carrying tons of paperwork and she can't help but feel gloomy. However, Heejin does not forget to text Hyunjin or even shoot her a smile and a wave of hand, making Hyunjin's agony a bit lighter.

Hyunjin does try to invite Hyejoo to hang with her while Heejin's too busy but Hyejoo just declines, saying that she has matters to attend to, which Hyunjin just shrugs off. (Later afternoon, Hyunjin always sees Hyejoo walk around the streets going home, holding hands with Chaewon while cones of ice cream hang around their unoccupied hands.)

Hyunjin felt alone for the first time in her life. She doesn't even know what to do anymore and she admits, she misses the way Heejin sinks to her embrace every after school, the routine they religiously follow everyday, long before Heejin got recruited for the event club.

Maybe this was fate's way of letting her find answers to what she was feeling towards her best friend right now, but why does she feel heavier than before?

Hyunjin was just sitting beside Hyejoo at the cafeteria during lunch, her Monte Cristo sandwich (Which Hyejoo made for her, eager to cheer her ' _lost flipflop'_ stricken friend) untouched on Hyunjin's side as Hyejoo just eats her lunch casually beside her, looking on her phone from time to time, probably waiting for Chaewon to bother her and all.

Hyunjin was surprised that it wasn't Hyejoo's phone that buzzed this time. It was her own and she immediately opened it, her eyes now lighting up as she reads who the message was from.

**heekkie** : hey there hotshot

Hyunjin rolls her eyes as she tries to contain her smile from showing. 

**aeongie** : hi student council reject 

**heekkie** : ha ha. im famished. here @ the forbidden wing. craved for bread and remembered u

**aeongie** : craving for me?

**heekkie** : well duh who else u're the only one who loves bread more than her bestfriend 

Hyunjin laughs bitterly because she knows indeed it was _false_.

**aeongie** : omw 

**heekkie** : awesomesauce. also! bring legit bread im seriously famished ok 

Hyunjin then excused herself from Hyejoo, saying she has matters to attend to, as she would say it, earning a brief nag and whine at her for being too unoriginal and for now attempting to leave her alone to return to class like a loser. Hyunjin just waves her hand to Hyejoo and thanks her for the sandwich before hastily walking along the corridors with the uneaten sandwich on hand.

Hyunjin hates how she immediately responded at Heejin without even thinking twice, her thoughts of being glad to have avoided the busy Heejin suddenly goes back to square one because of one text from her.

Hyunjin makes her way to the forbidden wing of their school, where most of the student council members and unknown clubs and gatherings gather. (mostly to do semi-illegal activities) Hyunjin easily spots the room where Heejin was looking over a window, her black locks cascading through her white polo, her blazer nowhere to be found in the chilly weather.

"Knock knock." Hyunjin says before Heejin looks back, her hair flipping elegantly in the process which made her breath hitch silently.

The first thing Heejin does was run to her then embraces Hyunjin by the waist, letting herself sink and nuzzle on her neck. Hyunjin felt the frustration and longing as Heejin tightened her hug around her waist and it suddenly hit Hyunjin like a bucket of water splashed on her unconscious self that she did miss Heejin, even more than she missed Hyunjin.

"Oh god. Stop being a clingy little _shit_." Heejin curses at herself as she tightens her hold on Hyunjin in a more gentle way, and Hyunjin just prays Heejin doesn't hear her heart beat a mile.

"God, you're such a hypocrite." Hyunjin breathily chuckles as she lets Heejin sink even deeper on their hug.

"I missed you, you know?" Heejin releases Hyunjin from her touch and peculiarly, she already longs for it even more.

"What are you talking about? You still message me just as much as random cat videos."

"Not as much as I really miss you, though." 

With that, Hyunjin just rolls her eyes and shoves the sandwich on Heejin's stomach then walks to the window, eager to hide the blush now spreading across her face.

"Hyejoo made that for me but you might as well eat it before I do."

She hears Heejin walk beside her, overlooking the window while she takes a bite of the sandwich, but just as Hyunjin had the blush fade away, she looks over Heejin, whose face is suddenly sour.

"I can make a sandwich just as tasty. Tell Hyejoo to stop snatching my bestfriend spot." Heejin huffs in frustration as she chews at the remnants angrily which Hyunjin just chuckles at, finding Heejin cute. She does want to brush off the sudden mention of them just being best friends, but it was the truth she can't escape from.

"She's not. Oh how I wish you could see her be cheesy around Chaewon." _If you weren't too busy to spend time with me_. Heejin stopped chewing for a moment to process all the information she was currently receiving.

"Wait, Chaewon and her? She's the one Hyejoo is courting?" Heejin's eyebrows furrowed while Hyunjin just nods, letting out a vocal imitation of a bomb exploding while she gestures one on her head because Heejin was seriously looking mind blown.

" _Damn_ , I missed out on a lot." Heejin chuckles while she shifts closer to Hyunjin.

Hyunjin doesn't even move at all. As much as she wanted Heejin to stop, she wanted this too. The unsaid feelings don't really even help her move away from the dangers of Heejin. No matter how long they've been away from each other, it's like Hyunjin still finds her way back to Heejin, which doesn't even see her just the same.

Hyunjin knows this push and pull is bound to end anyways. Hyunjin just needs to steer her own fate in the right direction for her not to get hurt but the more Heejin just pulls her, the more the probability of her getting hurt increases. 

This all-physical arrangement was getting her mind messed up and she's going to start going crazy once the unsaid feelings bottle up on her until it explodes.

Hyunjin suddenly finds herself pinned against the windowsill after Heejin pulls her to face her, pressing her petite frame against Hyunjin, her eyes surprisingly staring softly against Hyunjin's confused ones.

"Heekkie, what if someone sees us?"

"I doubt someone will. You're only for me to see." Heejin whispers before leaning in, letting their lips meet halfway and Hyunjin again lets her guard down, sinking herself deep again the trance of Heejin's lips and all the walls she built was taken down in a flash as soon as their lips met and all Hyunjin, who was holding back, finally lets go and let Heejin's pair of lips play along with her. This time, Heejin was kissing her as gently as she could and Hyunjin was indeed surprised.

Just as Hyunjin was about to just tell Heejin to stop whatever's going on, here she was, her words getting shoved to the back of her throat again. All the courage she mustered up to finally confront Heejin about the feelings pooling up in her stomach was stuck again and she's not gonna lie, kissing Heejin suddenly tasted a little _bitter_.

All of these are wrong. Best friends don't kiss each other like they do. 

Hearing footsteps against the wooden floor of the corridor, both of them parted from each other so fast, jumping away from each other (Hyunjin was glad she was a soccer player in the past) and they both could only sigh in relief as they see Chaewon's small face peek by the threshold of main door.

"Heejin! There you are. They're saying something about a schedule. They said you got it?"

Heejin nods, looking like she was trying to act all casual when all Hyunjin sees was her, wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt while approaching the table with mountains of papers, then letting her once sweaty palms roam around to find what Chaewon was looking for.

It didn't take Chaewon long to acknowledge Hyunjin's presence that was currently in a jobless-students restricted area but Chaewon surely doesn't mind because they are friends, after all.

"Hey there, Hyunjin. Came to see our busy abode?" 

"Yeah. Had to bring food for the hungry bunny here." Hyunjin pats herself at the back for successfully not stuttering. "I'll be taking my leave now. See you l-later, Heekkie." Or _not._

Hyunjin exhales in relief as she walks out of the room, her footsteps a little much faster to escape the possibility of having to humiliate herself infront of Chaewon and Heejin a bit more. The feeling of almost getting caught making out with a best friend on school grounds still lingers on her as she finally arrives at their classroom, Hyejoo already wearing the shit-eating grin which was the same grin she was wearing when she Hyunjin revealed the big secret of making out with Heejin days ago.

Hyunjin could only shake her head at Hyejoo, trying her best to calm her fast-paced beating heart but then, she feels her phone vibrate through the pocket of her skirt and she wasn't even surprised that it was from Heejin, the very girl she just saw a while ago.

**heekkie** : im sorry for being careless D:

**heekkie** : let me make it up to u. meet me tomorrow after school

Hyunjin smiles to herself before punching her reply to the latter.

**aeongie** : not ur fault :P i was being careless too

**aeongie** : and if u're about to send that puppy-dog pleading eyes emoji dON'T YOU DARE. 

**aeongie** : i'll meet u after school so stop you clingy whiny baby

**heekkie** : stop reading me like a book. >:( see u hotshot xx

"What happened?" Hyunjin felt Hyejoo nudge her side and before she could even peek at their exchange of messages and apologies, Hyunjin kept her phone safe from her pocket.

"Chaewon happened." 

Hyunjin spends the rest of the last period with her arm feeling numb from the bruise she got from ' _insulting_ ' Hyejoo before the class started. (She did let Hyunjin explain the sudden mention of her soon-to-be girlfriend, nevertheless.)

("Chaewon could've seen the both of you with her innocent eyes!" Hyejoo screams in horror.

"She's older than you, god _damn_ it!")

\------------------------------------------

Like they have agreed, Hyunjin made her way by the school gate to meet Heejin, who was still nowhere to be found. So, Hyunjin waited, staring at her phone intently, waiting for a last-minute apology text for Heejin because maybe, she won't be able to make it due to an unexpected errand or whatnot.

However, Hyunjin's expectations were proven to be wrong when she sees Heejin run to her from outside the school, with cones of ice cream on hand, careful not to drop them the last minute she was to arrive at their meeting place.

"Careful there!" Hyunjin smiles as she meets Heejin halfway to help her and get the cone from Heejin's grip. 

"Sorry, I'm late! I had to bargain for an extra scoop for your cone." Heejin breathily chuckles, the both of them now starting to walk away from their campus with their ice cream cones on their hands. (New York Cheesecake for Hyunjin, Chocolate for Heejin, just the way they both like it.)

It has been so long since they've gotten this peaceful and this takes Hyunjin back to the epoch of when they were still kids, the both of them just walking home while they laugh their hearts out about funny and clumsy moments like how 6th grade Heejin clumsily stumbled down the corridor or how Hyunjin dozed off during math. They were the typical best friends but what made their relationship special is no matter how long they were separated, they still get along like they weren't.

"I really thought you were gonna bail out on me. I was so ready to ride the subway while sulking." 

"Pfft. Do you think that lowly of me?" Heejin asked, faking a hurt face while clutching her chest while Hyunjin just chuckled.

"You're a dork." Hyunjin smiles and the next thing she knew, Heejin was already reaching to hold her unoccupied hand and like cogwheels, their fingers slipped right through each other perfectly. Hyunjin would like to make herself believe that this was just something normal between. She would like to convince herself that nothing was going on, but the butterflies in her stomach says otherwise.

Hyunjin sets her feelings aside then walked with Heejin hand-in-hand and this time, it was Heejin steering them to an isolated playground's direction, where the both of them as kids used to hang around the jungle gym and let time pass by while kids that were once flocking the playground fades away one by one, until only it was only the two of them left.

"I thought we're about to go home?" Hyunjin asks as Heejin lets go of her hand then she takes her bag and her blazer, both off her small shoulders. 

"I didn't say we'll go home straight after school." Hyunjin then sees Heejin put her belongings to the nearest bench, gesturing to Hyunjin to do the same which was gladly followed by the latter.

After racing to finish their ice cream cones, (Which was won apparently by Hyunjin just because Heejin choked on a piece of her cone) Heejin did the honors and climb first on top of the jungle gym, almost falling in the process but Hyunjin was there, nevertheless, _ready_ to catch her.

("Be careful!" Hyunjin shouts but Heejin just laughs.

"You worry too much, you might even get a heart attack.")

Hyunjin then follows and after struggling to climb up since it has been so long since they both have done this, they finally sit peacefully beside each other on a metal bar, observing the silence of the isolated, almost abandoned playground.

"I'm sorry for being too careless yesterday, by the way." Heejin breaks off the silence but Hyunjin just nudged her side, smiling gently at the latter.

"It's alright. T'was partly my fault, anyway."

They stay silent again, only the sound of leaves rustling is heard and Hyunjin's emotions suddenly start to bottle up again as the thought of finally confessing suddenly enters her mind. It was the perfect place for her to confess, just not the perfect time. She wasn't ready to lose Heejin just yet for she knows the outcome won't be as pleasant.

"Why don't you tell me about how your day went? You even didn't have the time to send me cats getting belly rub videos." Hyunjin nudges Heejin's side again, eager to let her forget everything she was sorry for because Hyunjin knows Heejin will spend the rest of their peaceful minutes just apologizing.

So, Heejin does speak until the light in her eyes returns and it was something Hyunjin really loved about her, everytime she tells a random story. As random as how she found a coin by the curb of the sidewalk to how she likes her bacon cooked. Still, Heejin's eyes were full of delight, her eyes sparkling as Hyunjin listens and stares intently, getting satisfied.

If Hyunjin was to be given a dime every time her breath hitches whenever her eyes meet Heejin's, she would've been a billionaire by now. Like now, Hyunjin's eyes never even left Heejin's as Heejin kept on talking about how stressful her position was at the club. 

Hyunjin didn't even notice Heejin asking her a question, not until she saw her wave her hand in front of her, her eyes confused as to why Hyunjin suddenly became unresponsive.

"Earth to human bread? Hello?" Heejin finally gets Hyunjin's attention and she just laughs at her, finding it funny how Hyunjin spaced out while listening to her. "Am I not making any sense now?"

"N-No! You're perfectly making sense, alright!" Hyunjin grew defensive while her eyes now blinks rapidly, eager to wipe the admiration off her eyes. Heejin looks at her in awe as she chuckles softly.

Suddenly, Heejin lunges forward Hyunjin, again, initiating a kiss that was rough at first but grew even more gentle when Hyunjin finally found the rhythm whilst their lips danced around each other. Hyunjin leans back, reaching for the metal bar behind her to support her weight, but then Heejin reaches her hand, just in time to support herself too and to hold her hand in hers too.

These days, Hyunjin notices that she wasn't the one that initiates the physical contact between them anymore, it was now initiated by none other than Heejin. Hyunjin admits at first that she was liking it but as soon as the feelings inside her grew, she knew it was something wrong.

It was wrong to feel things from the littlest touches to the kisses Heejin was giving her, and everything in between that. It suddenly dawned on her that everything they were doing was wrong. 

Best friends like them aren't best friends anymore, especially when Hyunjin knew she fell for Heejin hard already.

Hyunjin finally knew this finally needed to _stop_.

So Hyunjin pushes Heejin away abruptly but cautiously, her tears welling up from her eyes as she licks the bitter taste from her lips, the once fruity taste now nowhere to be found. 

"I have to go." Hyunjin hides her face from the startled Heejin, jumping off the jungle gym, her eyes betraying her as soon as she lands on her feet, for her tears fall on the gravel beneath her.

Her eyes clouded with her tears, Hyunjin runs to collect her belongings as soon as she hears Heejin shout her name but the pain she was feeling in her heart was too strong, her ears suddenly can't hear anymore.

Hyunjin hastily runs away from the playground, not even daring to look back because she knows damn well once she looks back, she won't be able to pull herself together and just hurt even more.

"Hyunjin! Hyunjin!" Hyunjin now hears more audibly as she runs rapidly to the now-dark sidewalk, with just the lamp posts lighting up the way. Luckily, the sidewalk barely had any pedestrian walking, or they might have already seen Hyunjin's bawling eyes.

"Kim Hyunjin, wait." Hyunjin felt a strong grip on her wrist then she was pulled back to face her, the one who she was running away from.

"What?" Hyunjin asks, not even bothering to hide her pained and tearful eyes anymore. When she looked at Heejin, her eyes that were once filled with wonder were now confused. Heejin was suddenly mute, not even finding the right words to say after seeing Hyunjin cry before her.

"What, Heejin?" This was the first time Hyunjin called her by her name.

"I..."

"This is wrong, Heejin. All of _this_ is wrong." Hyunjin wipes her tears but it just keeps falling anyway. "At first, I thought nothing will go wrong if we keep on doing this but now that I am feeling _something_ , it suddenly felt so _wrong_." Hyunjin points at her heart (Which was now breaking into pieces as she speaks.) but Heejin just stays glued to her place, with her eyes now sparkling with tears.

"What do you mean-"

"I like you, god _damn_ it! No,— I _love_ you!" Hyunjin jabs a finger on Heejin's trembling shoulder as Heejin now stays even more glued to where she was standing, her mouth completely shut as she finally ran out of questions and words.

"Funny how this isn't really how I plan on telling you." Hyunjin chuckled bitterly as she wiped her tears away for the last time, finally giving up because it kept on falling anyway. "I plan on confessing to you by the place we were sitting at a while ago but nothing will change. It will still lead us right to this moment where I'll get my heart broken."

Heejin doesn't even bother to talk anymore because the tears that were forming on her eyes also finally started falling. So, Hyunjin doesn't waste any more time and now lets her bottled up emotions burst out of her.

"That's the truth, Heejin. _I love you_. I know this was all my fault but I have learned to _love_ you. And— _fuck_ , I think I won't be able to unlearn to anytime sooner." Hyunjin was now a lot calmer than a while ago, her thoughts now properly collected and waiting to be said. "But this is a mistake. A best friend shouldn't _love_ you like I do." Hyunjin bites her lip, restraining her tears from bursting out like a mountain because she finally let the truth come out of her. 

"Hyunjin..." Hyunjin laughs bitterly at the first word that comes out of Heejin.

" _We_ should stop this." Hyunjin finally steps away from Heejin. "We should stop _this_. Kissing you was a _mistake_."

Hyunjin finally runs away, leaving Heejin just standing by the sidewalk, not even uttering a single word and Hyunjin now holds her shattered heart on her hand, the shattered pieces that even the strongest of glue won't fix.

\------------------------------------------

The first few days without even the slightest attention from Heejin were agonizing for Hyunjin. She goes to school with her sunken eyes because she had no choice. Either way, she'd still see Heejin everyday anyway. However, to make it less painful as it does, she just casually walks to her seat just in front of Heejin and just directs her attention either at Hyejoo or just at the blank chalkboard. Regardless, she doesn't really talk at all.

The only moments she could breathe from the suffocating air of Heejin's aura were lunch and whenever she gets excused from class by the events management since field day was still nearing and they're getting busier than ever.

Not really being able to hide her gloomy mood from Hyejoo, she does tell her everything and Hyejoo could only look in sympathy. Hyunjin's sudden outburst of feelings and emotions comes rarely and Heejin became the recipient of it, which Hyejoo thinks was a good and bad thing at the same time. A bad thing, because the once very close best friends suddenly became strangers to each other.

"You know you could still join Chaewon and I whenever we go out!" Hyejoo suggests but Hyunjin just shakes her head in dismissal.

"And to be the one who takes your couple photos? Eh." Hyunjin chuckles and pats Hyejoo's head, a way to acknowledge her efforts in cheering her up. "Thanks for the offer though." 

Hyunjin then sees Heejin enter the cafeteria with Chaewon, laughing along with her but unlike any other day, Heejin's smile doesn't reach her eyes.

Hyunjin thinks she might have been too rough with her sudden confession. Her gloom was partly from getting her heart broken and the other part was because guilt was chewing her up in ways she never knew it could.

Hyunjin does admit that the sudden rush of emotions made her say spiteful things to Heejin, that's why she sees Heejin as gloomy as her right now. Their very strong friendship, which was now nowhere and hanging in the air, all because she fell in love with someone she shouldn't have. That someone who is Jeon Heejin, her lifelong best friend.

Hyunjin then sees Chaewon look at their direction, her eyes meeting hers first, smiling gently, then Hyejoo's. However, before Hyunjin could even look away, Heejin was already looking at her, the same eyes she saw when they last talked. The same eyes that pleaded her to stay.

Hyunjin did the both of them a favor and looked away before she could even feel the pain of a thousand needles in her heart again but she was too late because the very moment when Hyunjin's eyes met Heejin's, it was like the pain Heejin was feeling, reflected to her like a mirror.

"Hyunjin? Wanna go back to class now?" Hyejoo asks which finally saved her from her mini misery. 

Hyunjin just nods and stands up from their table half a second earlier than Hyejoo because she was already eager to go. The air was getting too clouded already by Heejin's presence and it was just bringing more memories back.

Hyunjin spent the rest of her gloomy day, like any other day this past week, sitting stingily at the last periods. Normally, she has this habit where she listens to the person speaking in front but half of her attention is on the person behind her who is none other than Heejin, who was mumbling incoherent thoughts about the lessons but getting it halfway through. However, these past few days weren't the same.

Growing up, Hyunjin already established a routine in her everyday living and her routine always seemed to include Heejin. Without Heejin, Hyunjin seemed a bit lost considering half of her life, Heejin was there to pull her to a coaster of adventure and emotions but now, she feels just as empty. 

Heejin somehow was a habit, that now became her routine but now that they are unsung strangers, Hyunjin feels like a part of her was ripped off from her for good.

After the school bell rang, signalling the end of the day, Hyejoo asked Hyunjin if they could hang out at her house, despite her attempts of making Hyunjin successfully say yes were always a failure, she still never fails to invite her over. Hyejoo already invited her to do a weird yet enjoyable variety of activities, (Hyunjin even found it weird that Hyejoo invited her to help her cook, which she turned down because she knows Hyejoo would only watch and eat.) which was dismissed by Hyunjin because she wasn't feeling it as always. 

However, Hyunjin today suddenly felt like hanging around Hyejoo. Maybe she was suddenly feeling eager to ward off the gloomy feeling she was having. Maybe even help Hyejoo cook, even though she knows she'll do most of the work. Hyunjin thinks this is indeed the best time to do crazy things with Hyejoo because she knows this time they are lonely but the only difference was, Hyunjin wasn't waiting for someone anymore.

So, Hyunjin reluctantly agrees and Hyejoo gives her a thumbs up, her timid facade now being the enthusiastic one between the both of them.

Hyejoo surprisingly didn't let Hyunjin do weird things with her, she instead lets Hyunjin chill by her bed while fiddles with her newly bought Nintendo Switch, which Hyejoo really intends to play with Chaewon first, that's why Hyunjin was left to just lie beside her and stare at the glow-in-the-dark stick on stars she has on her ceiling. 

"How are you, Hyunjin? I never really asked." Hyejoo inquires as she reads the text on the outer box of the console she was holding.

"Worst." Hyunjin immediately answers, as she counts the stars one by one.

_1, 2..._

"You know you can't just wallow in pity everytime, right? You should do something!" 

Hyunjin chuckles bitterly. "Like what?"

_3... 4, 5..._

"Like talk to her?" Hyejoo suggests but Hyunjin just scoffs at her suggestion that she finds it ridiculous.

"I already did."

_6, 7... 8, 9_

"But did you ever hear her out?" 

Hyunjin suddenly came to an abrupt halt when she suddenly came to a realization. Hyejoo's question made her stop counting the stars and now, she lurches up, facing Hyejoo whose mouth was tugged in a cocky manner because she knows that she triggered something in Hyunjin.

Hyunjin suddenly came to a realization that the night when she went all out with her feelings on Heejin, she never really heard what Heejin felt about it. She just became selfish right then and there because she was swallowed with the fear of getting her heartbroken which she unknowingly did with herself. The realization gutted Hyunjin for Heejin didn't really have the chance to explain herself and thinking about it, not being able to was also making it hard for Heejin right now and it finally hits Hyunjin.

The reason why she was also feeling the guilt was because Heejin's feelings were left unheard because she let her pride tower over her.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Hyejoo inquires again.

"I'm such an _asshole_." Hyunjin pushes herself back to how she was laying down a while ago.

"Welcome back, Kim Hyunjin."

\------------------------------------------

Field day came and Hyunjin never felt busier than ever.

Being one of the representatives of their class in the events turns out to be the most tiring thing that Hyunjin could have ever been. Turns out, having an athletic background can get her a golden ticket to being a representative that no one in class wants and Hyunjin was unfortunate that the class knew about it. (Mainly because Heejin always chats about how good of a soccer player she was in Gym class.)

Hyunjin, along with three of her classmates, whom she doesn't know of yet, finally came to their final event which was the inter-class baton relay and while she was waiting patiently by the starting line, she sees Heejin along with Sooyoung and Vivi approach her and it suddenly dawns on Hyunjin that Heejin was to participate in the relay with her.

"Hey." Heejin smiled at her gently, but her smile was not really reaching her eyes like it used to. 

"Hi." Hyunjin awkwardly replies. It was the first time they have spoken to each other ever since and all they let out was a bunch of informal greetings to each other like they didn't even grow up with each other.

"Sooyoung, what's the plan?" Vivi asks and Hyunjin was damn fortunate that they have the two to clear their near-invisible tense atmosphere as Sooyoung now gathers the both of them for her initial plan.

Contrary to the relief Vivi and Sooyoung sent the best friends just now, Hyunjin was placed as their second runner, who was to pass the baton to Heejin which is a tactic that Sooyoung established, since the Sooyoung and her were the two tallest among the four. Hyunjin at first flinched at the plan but she, nevertheless, stayed professional and agreed.

Now determined to win, Sooyoung finally takes a step to the starting line as three other opponents from the other class do so.

Hyunjij takes a deep breath and sets their personal differences aside first, then she hears the starting pistol fire, signalling the runners to finally start.

Sooyoung gave their class a proper headstart with her being the first runner, while their opponents lag a meter behind as Hyunjin positions herself on their starting line and as Sooyoung runs her with the baton on hand, Hyunjin takes a deep breath and reached for the baton, then she starts running, exerting the most energy and effort she has ever exerted in running.

Hyunjin loathed running the most, despite being a soccer athlete in the past but something about this event suddenly fueled up her courage to win it and here she was now, not letting the jumpstart go to waste as she now approaches Heejin, her hand reaching for the baton and Hyunjin can't help but look at Heejin's determined eyes look back at her, and Hyunjin doesn't want to admit it, but her own eyes gave her her return of determination, a look of encouragement for Heejin which was the least she could do because she was unable to even tell her good luck a while ago.

Finally reaching for the baton, Heejin swooped it away then with her small but strongly built legs, Heejin ran as fast as she could. Catching her breath, Hyunjin could only watch Heejin from a far as she pants along with Sooyoung, a water bottle on hand but instead on hydrating herself, she kept on shouting silent cheers for Heejin inside her as Heejin finally reaches Vivi's starting line, one of their opponent almost catching up by a feet.

After passing the baton to Vivi, Heejin then jogs to their side of the field, almost tripping in exhaustion as she approaches Hyunjin and Sooyoung. Surprisingly, Hyunjin's instinct of concern sparked and met Heejin halfway and gave her arm as a support, automatically handing her an untouched bottle of water which was reluctantly accepted by Heejin.

"You did great, Heekkie." Hyunjin smiles softly, not even waiting for Heejin to mutter her own gratitude to Hyunjin before she just lets Heejin sit beside the weary Sooyoung and the new arrival, Vivi.

Turns out they ended up being in second which wasn't already bad considering their overall standings for the field day.

After their baton relay event, Hyunjin didn't even get the chance to speak to Heejin again because she was suddenly nowhere to be found already, maybe the events club pulling her as soon as she finished catching up her breath. Hyunjin then walks to Hyejoo who was with their class, a small flag of their color, light blue, hanging by her ears.

"Congrats!" Hyejoo pats her back. Hyunjin doesn't even know if Hyejoo meant congratulating her because they won second or because she finally had the guts to even say a word to Heejin.

"That's a double meaning, by the way." Hyejoo chuckles as she focuses her eyes on the event that was currently on-going.

"Thank you, I guess?" Hyunjin breathily chuckles as she takes another sip from her bottle then Hyejoo suddenly nudges her side.

"Talking to her wasn't so bad now, was it?" With that, Hyunjin just nods. Truthfully speaking, Hyunjin felt like a small weight was lifted off her shoulders when she gave Heejin even just one whole sentence.

"Then, congrats, Hyunjin." Hyejoo just laughs along with Hyunjin as they now both focus and spectate at the on-going event.

After they finally called it a day, Hyunjin now waits for Hyejoo by the sports equipment room. She's not going to lie, she found it weird at first, but nevertheless came because maybe Hyejoo has a good reason to. So Hyunjin waited, kicking imaginary pebbles by the door and then out of curiosity, entering the equipment room. 

Hyunjin observed each equipment but the first thing that caught her eye was the number of soccer balls that were stored there, untouched until the next gym class was to be in session and the temptation of playing with it suddenly piqued with her.

Letting the temptation wrap around her, Hyunjin takes a ball by her hands then she lets it fall by the floor before she lets her right foot catch it after bouncing, letting it stay there for a moment until she juggles it to her other foot. Finally getting used to juggling, she lets the ball play with her feet and she easily smiles in happiness, for the sole reason that it has been that long since her feet kicked a ball, let alone touched a ball.

Mistakenly kicking the ball too hard, the ball rolled across the room then to the door, only to be stopped by someone by stepping on it. 

It was Heejin, the last person she expects to see right now.

"You still got the moves, Hyunnie." Heejin chuckles as she picks up the ball from the ground.

Hyunjin was still confused why she was suddenly in the same room as Heejin then she finally realized that Hyejoo set her up. No wonder Hyejoo suddenly took the equipment room for a liking.

"H-Hey." Hyunjin bites on her lower lip before continuing. "I'm sorry about a while ago. I think I messed up in passing the bato-" Hyunjin was caught in surprise when Heejin suddenly wraps her in the warmest embrace she has ever felt and Hyunjin suddenly felt her heartbeat alive, a feeling she never thought she'll ever feel again.

"I miss you, Hyunjin." Heejin buries her face against Hyunjin's chest, finally letting go of the ball on her hand and now tightening her embrace around Heejin, who was now crying and like instinct, Hyunjin sinks to their hug and wraps her arms around Heejin to embrace her warmly.

"I miss you too, dork." Hyunjin chuckles, her tears on the verge of falling from her eyes but then Heejin suddenly throws a light punch on Hyunjin's shoulder.

"That's for not letting me speak." And another one. (Hyunjin doesn't protest, she thought she deserved it.) "That's for not speaking to me." and then, another one.

"That's for falling in love with me."

Hyunjin's eyebrows knit in confusion as she wondered where this was going but then Heejin continued to cry in front of her, the first time she ever did considering how she was the energetic and enthusiastic one between them.

"You're such a great pretender, you know that? You're letting me kiss you because you don't want our friendship to get ruined, instead of making your feelings the priority." Heejin wipes her tears with the back of her palm, her eyes just on the floor as Hyunjin looks at her intently.

"I hate you for that." Heejin again threw the last light punch on Hyunjin's shoulder. 

"I hate you for always letting me win rock, paper, scissors even though I'm bad at it," 

_"Rock, paper, scissors!"_

_Heejin pulls a paper but then she sees Hyunjin pull a scissors but then she suddenly curls her fingers to a ball, shifting it to a rock at the last minute when she sees Heejin's scissors. They were fighting for the last piece of bread at the bread shop and just as the line behind them was building up, Hyunjin asked her for a last-minute duel by the payment counter._

_"You win." Hyunjin smiles as Heejin throws her the meanest glare she could give. Heejin suddenly realizes she was bad at the game, but Hyunjin was there to lose for her every time._

_"_ I hate you for always risking yourself in trouble for me." And another jab.

_The 12 year-old Heejin was in the safety of her own room but under the sheets, sniffing while she was trembling beneath it, feeling a fever come on her. Heejin was always the one who was energetic between Hyunjin and her but this time, Heejin was the one to decline Hyunjin's invite to check out the latest copy of the Naruto manga already being sold in the bookstore because they did promise each other to do so (Heejin was talking about it almost all week so Hyunjin took the initiative to invite her.) all because she suddenly felt like she was dying because of the throbbing pain her head was experiencing._

_Just as Heejin was trying to sleep the pain of her head away, she heard something and weirdly, it was coming from her window._

_Heejin unveils herself under her blanket, only to hear another sound. Now audible, Heejin thinks it was a knock on her window._

_Heejin cautiously walks to her window, trying to control the sudden vertigo her head was experiencing and just as she was opening her window, the vertigo suddenly went away, and simultaneously, Hyunjin popped up from her window, wearing a scarf that cover almost half of her face and Heejin finds it adorable, nevertheless._

_"Hyunjin! Why are you-" Heejin had to sneeze before continuing. "-on my window?" Heejin pulls her best friend in from outside since Hyunjin was already near to being frozen in ice at this point. Hyunjin took her time and shook the cold away from her body before reaching for something from her bag._

_"Well, I don't want to spoil my surprise." Hyunjin then hands Heejin a gift clumsily wrapped in a Merry Christmas wrapper despite it being months away. Heejin takes it anyway then opens it up, her cold hands caressing the wrapper before tearing it open with all her might._

_It was the Naruto Manga issue they were to buy today._

_"You're crazy!" Heejin exclaims while she throws a pillow at Hyunjin's direction, the latter barely even avoiding it._

_"You can't blame me, you were talking about it since forever." Hyunjin chuckles as she hands Heejin a roll of tissue from her nightstand since Heejin has been sniffing nonstop and she was barely audible with how she was speaking._

_Hyunjin then lets Heejin lay supine on her own bed, then putting a warm blanket over Heejin's fragile body, then she kissed Heejin's forehead, like she always does whenever she gets sick._

_"Thank you, Hyunnie."_

_"You're welcome, Heekkie. Now stop being a whiny baby and get well soon."_

"Most of all, I hate you for falling in love with me." Heejin jabs a finger on her shoulder for the last time, but she was now looking at her, tears still brimming on her eyes. Hyunjin was still confused as to why Heejin was telling her these things right now and for Heejin to hate her for falling in love with her. Is Heejin rejecting her now? 

However, Hyunjin still doesn't speak because the last time she did, everything went wrong.

"I hate you for falling in love with me because I know damn well that I have fallen in love with you too." 

Heejin waited for Hyunjin to speak but she was too shocked to speak. She just stared at Heejin like the lost kid she was so Heejin just rolled her eyes while she wiped her tears with the back of her hand again.

"Really. You can't just kiss someone and expect they won't fall in love with you, Hyunjin."

"But I stopped! _You_ kept on kissing _me_!" Heejin finally managed to make Hyunjin talk with her sudden advice. It was indeed the truth, after Hyunjin felt weird things after kissing her. However the funny thing was Hyunjin never admitted she liked being kissed by her. She just doesn't want to lose this argument just yet.

"Just exactly how dense are you still gonna be? Of course, it's because I liked it!" Heejin averts her gaze from Hyunjin, hiding her shy face by looking around her surroundings. All except Hyunjin's gaze.

"What?"

"Don't make me say it twice, stupid." Heejin shakes her head in embarrassment as she finally gazes below on their feet. 

Hyunjin finally knows that she wasn't alone. All this time, Hyunjin was agonizing in her longing for Heejin's kisses, not even bothering to do anything about it unless Heejin asked her so. Hyunjin mentally hits herself for the mistake of not even remembering the grounds of a 'mutual' agreement and she takes a mental note the next time they both establish another one.

"Look. From now on, I won't kiss you first unless you kiss me first." Heejin had to sigh before continuing while Hyunjin was already smirking smugly. "It's my fault. I'll take this as my punishment."

"Even if you really want to?" Hyunjin takes a step closer teasingly.

"Yes." Heejin answers firmly, without hesitation.

"Really?" Hyunjin steps more closer to Heejin, their faces in a dangerous proximity and Heejin just couldn't help but look away from her best friend(?)'s burning gaze.

"Stop tempting me, hotshot." Heejin shakes her head but as soon as Hyunjin takes another step forward, she then leans forward and just when Heejin was about to close her eyes, waiting for Hyunjin's lips to land on hers, she felt something on her shoulder. It was Hyunjin, whose forehead was leaning against her shoulder with her hands on her back like the kid she is.

"W-What are you doing?" Heejin asks while Hyunjin persistently leans her head down her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for last time. I didn't give you a chance to explain because I just... I got so scared." Hyunjin then hugs Heejin once again then sinks to their embrace, finally savoring the warmth she was aching for. "I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry too." Heejin returns her hug, then they both finally stay silent for a moment, nothing but the sound of cicadas finally appearing outside as the sun finally sinks outside. Finally, Heejin breaks the hug then she presses her index fingers on the corner of Hyunjin's lips then pushes it to a smile.

"Let's go home, emo baby." 

\------------------------------------------

The both of them walked through the campus and down the alley while they both talked about lots of things that had happened when the both of them weren't really talking. It was something Hyunjin deeply missed, considering how Heejin's stories were a big part of her now-healing routine. 

However, while they walk past the playground, (Which Hyunjin side-eyed every time she goes home when they both weren't still on good terms) Hyunjin thinks about what has happened earlier and she can't help but be confused on what they were right now. To think of it, Heejin didn't really confirm a while ago.

Suddenly, Heejin pulls her out of her reverie by grabbing her hand then she pulls her with her, running along the pavement then crossing the isolated road to the playground where her attention was a while ago. 

"What exactly are you doing?" Hyunjin breathes deeply as she tries to catch her breath from all the running they suddenly did but Heejin was just as energetic as she was because the next thing she knew, Heejin was climbing the metal jungle gym where they last kissed as far as she could remember.

"Come on, I'm older than you yet you're much slower!" Heejin manages to joke while she promptly sits on a metal bar and it amuses Hyunjin on how Heejin manages to make her worn out oversized shirt (Which Hyunjin owns because Hyunjin remembers looking for it in her wardrobe) and basketball shorts from the field day earlier look adorable on her by just sitting simply.

"You're older by a month, Heekkie!" Hyunjin grunts as she quickly and clumsily climbs the jungle gym but nevertheless, she reaches Heejin before she could even tease her even more.

"Seriously, I thought we're going home already." Hyunjin smoothens her own basketball shorts while a strong gust of cold night wind hit the both of them at the top of the jungle gym but just as Hyunjin was about to turn her attention to Heejin, the latter was already holding both of her hands.

"Kim Hyunjin, I know this is a very uncheesy, unpleasant time to say this but," Heejin takes a deep breath which Hyunjin snorts at, not being able to hold her laughter at Heejin's sudden actions.

"Yes, you're being very uncheesy right now." Hyunjin chuckles breathily as Heejin tightens her hold, intentionally hurting Hyunjin.

"Ow!"

"Shut up for a moment, will you?" Heejin rolls her eyes then clears her throat, finally gaining focus on the matter at hand.

"I, Jeon Heejin, _love_ you, Kim Hyunjin, the weirdest cat imitator, the hottest of the hotshots, and my loser best friend. With that being said, will you do the honors of being my awesome girlfriend as well?" Heejin smiles awkwardly while Hyunjin just holds her laugh in respect for Heejin's sudden confession but she does admit, it was the most romantic confession she has ever heard in her entire existence. (Maybe, she's exaggerating a bit but you can't blame her.)

Hyunjin knows Heejin was just making up for the spoiled planned confession that Hyunjin blurted out during that _fateful_ day and she wasn't really complaining. This was originally her plan and it was indeed sweet for Heejin to still do this for her, despite maybe having a different plan on how to do this.

Although Heejin knows the answer to her question already, Hyunjin answers her anyway, in the most _non-cheesy_ way as possible,

"The answer will be undoubtedly, forever, and always will be _yes_ , Jeon Heejin." 

Heejin could only smile and finally, she envelopes Hyunjin into a hug, still being cautious since they were still sitting on top of the jungle gym.

"And I love you too, Heejin."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> did u notice my fic references from KHOKHT and Choice and Timing (TWICE MiMo holy grail fics btw)? yay :D


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